1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power dividing device for a camera for selectively transmitting the driving force of a motor to a plurality of operating parts of the camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, recently developed types of cameras are automated in such a manner so as to utilize the driving forces of motors to implement various operations such as winding and rewinding of a film, driving of a zoom barrel, adjusting focus, opening and closing of a shutter and shifting to a close-up photography mode.
To drive mechanisms for performing these operations, a typical automated camera is provided with a plurality of motors, and a particular type of camera adopts sequential means utilizing a differential mechanism, etc. which matches the sequence of the camera itself.
However, as the number of motors used increases, it becomes more difficult to reduce the size of a camera and a mounting process for wiring becomes complicated. This leads to the disadvantage that the costs of parts including the motors, and assembly costs increase.
In addition, in an arrangement which adopts the aforesaid sequential means, a complicated mechanism, such as a differential mechanism, must be employed which makes it difficult to assure operational stability. With this kind of sequential means, since it is difficult to implement an operation other than a particular sequence, it will be impossible to develop a camera system and add new functions to the same. For the same reasons, it is difficult to select a standard mechanism and apply it to many kinds of products as common components, and it has been necessary, therefore, to design a new mechanism for each kind of product. As a result, the number of processes required for development excessively increases and the effect of mass production is limited.